Bill would ban indoor use of electronic cigarettes in Illinois

Fans of electronic cigarettes could soon find themselves outside with tobacco smokers if one state lawmaker’s bill becomes law.

Rep. Kathleen Willis, D-Addison, introduced House Bill 2404 last week. The bill would ban the use of electronic cigarettes, known as vaping, indoors.

Willis said she filed the legislation because she did not want Illinois to make the same mistake it did with secondhand smoke.

“It took us a long time to prove (the dangers of) secondhand smoke, and I suspect we’ll have the same type of thing with secondhand vaping,” she said. “There are odors and elements that still come out from that.”

The bill would amend the Smoke Free Illinois Act of 2007 and ban the use of electronic cigarettes indoors in public places. Exemptions are made for theatrical productions and vape shops.

Willis said she had not talked to any other legislators or interest groups, but Kathy Drea, vice president of advocacy for the American Lung Association in Illinois, said the ALA would support the bill.

“A major concern is that we don’t know what the long-term health effects are,” she said.

Too few studies

Electronic cigarettes work by heating oil with nicotine to the point where it becomes vapor. The user inhales, similar to a tobacco cigarette, and the lungs soak in the nicotine. E-cig companies market the products as smoking-cessation devices, similar to nicotine gum or patches, or as an alternative to tobacco, which contains a variety of carcinogens. When the user exhales, a cloud of vapor that looks like smoke is released.

The studies on secondhand vapor have been conflicting. Some say there are harmful chemicals like formaldehyde in the vapor clouds, while others find only a trace amount of nicotine, a nonthreatening substance in low doses.

The World Health Organization in October found that most testing of electronic cigarettes was not done by independent scientists, but recommended that states ban vaping until further studies could be completed.

Dr. Sunny Jha, a resident physician at Chicago's Rush University Medical Center who worked for the World Health Organization Anti-tobacco Unit when he was an intern, said scientific studies have not been performed on secondhand vaping on a widespread basis.

He said it's hard to say whether there should be an indoor ban since electronic cigarettes can be used for smoking cessation.

Drea also said she thought vaping could make smoking look trendy again. Jha said this was a major concern in the fight against tobacco.

“It can glamorize the idea of smoking again, which is what we’re trying to avoid,” he said.

Willis also said she was concerned about consumers being confused about where they can use the devices.

“By going statewide, we’re actually helping the consumer so they know where and when they can vape and when they can’t,” she said. “It makes it a lot easier that way.”

Several municipalities have already banned the indoor use of the devices, including Chicago in 2014.

'A little different'

Business owners might also be confused about electronic cigarettes, Willis said. Drea agreed and said the legislation would make it easier for business owners to spot illegal activity.

“One of the main reasons that we believe e-cigarettes should be included in Smoke Free Illinois is the confusion they cause,” Drea said. “It’s very difficult to enforce Smoke Free Illinois because of people using e-cigarettes.”

But some Springfield business owners were more ambivalent about the proposed ban. Frank Westwood, owner of Frankie’s on the Boulevard, said electronic cigarettes were not a real issue at his place.

“They smoke them in here once in awhile, but it’s not really a big deal to be honest with you,” he said. “I’ve been in the bar business for 30 years, so I’ve been around a long time.”

Westwood said he had not heard a complaint about electronic cigarettes yet.

Boone’s Saloon owner Steve Luparell said he had not heard any complaints, either. He said he could not recall seeing people use them in his restaurant.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen it,” he said.

Luparell said he personally agreed with the ban, especially in restaurants. However, he said he was undecided about bars.

“For 100 years, people have gone and smoked in the bar,” he said. “Not that I want that to come back. I don’t. I’ve bought out some restaurants where they’ve had smoking for 30 years, and the place is gross. On the other hand, smokeless cigarettes are a little different.”

Several stores in Springfield specialize in electronic cigarettes and vaping products, such as Tribble Vapors and Upper Limits. Shelli Tribble owns Tribble Vapors and said she did not think the ban would affect her business much because people who use electronic cigarettes are happy to be off of tobacco.

“It may have some effect, but I think a lot of people are so happy to be off cigarettes and feeling better and saving a considerable amount of money,” she said.

Upper Limits owner Matt Fortin said he thought businesses should have discretion over whether they allow electronic cigarettes.

“It’s not the government’s place to say if water vapor is allowed in the air,” he said. “They’re wanting to categorize vapor as a tobacco product and it’s not.”

Westwood agreed and said he thought he, not the government, should choose if vaping is allowed in his bar.

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